


The Beginning of For Forever

by DeltaBlairLines



Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff, Found Family, Genin Era, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Relationships, gai is a good dad, neji is still a lil shit in this one, team gai is just super cute and supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24691477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeltaBlairLines/pseuds/DeltaBlairLines
Summary: Just some fluffy snapshots of Team Gai's genin life as they learn to trust their sensei1k follower celebration/thank you fic for my Team Gai blog (nejileetengai on tumblr) :) Sorry it took so long haha but I like it
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	The Beginning of For Forever

**Author's Note:**

> i never learned how to format in ao3 and it shows

He spots her after training one day, lingering after Lee and Neji have begun walking home. Slower than usual, she pulls each kunai and shuriken free of their targets with hazy focus. Gai makes sure that she can hear his footsteps as he approaches her.

“Tenten! If you would like more individual training, you’re free to tell me directly!” he booms with a grin. But the small girl, only a few weeks out of the academy, does not return his enthusiasm. She turns to him with a solemness that looks wildly out of place on the child. Her normally bright eyes are dull. The smile that lifts her chubby cheeks is nowhere to be found.

“Tenten?” He walks closer to her. She bows her head to hide the look crawling onto it. Concern flares in his gut.

“Gai sensei...do you think I belong on this team?” she asks quietly. Her shoulders are drawn in, shrinking her. Her fingers fidget with the kunai in hand. They are short and stubby, but remarkably coordinated with the blade. Looking at her now, Gai realizes just how young his team is. 

“My little lotus. Of course I do! Why would you think otherwise?” he asks, more softly this time. Tenten’s lip wobbles and tears spring to her eyes. Stubborn as ever, she does not let them fall.

“Neji is a genius from the Hyuuga clan. Even they call him a prodigy. I can’t get a single hit on him.” At her sides, tiny hands clench into fists. “And Lee works so hard every day. He never considers failure. He always keeps going. He works ten times harder than I do, even with just taijutsu. So what am I? I’m not talented like Neji, and I’m not as dedicated as Lee. They deserve a teammate that can keep up with them. I’m holding them back.”

And despite her honorable efforts, tears begin leaking down her cheeks. For a split second, Gai panics. He has not had a team before. He was so excited to receive his first batch of genin, to see the wonderful fountains of youth he would guide into maturity. He was good with children. He thought himself prepared for the worst. But here is one of his kids, crying just a few weeks into his leadership, and he does not know what to do.

So although he can't find the right words to console her, he kneels down to look her in the eyes, then draws her into his arms. She is still for a moment, then throws her arms around him and sobs into his shoulder. The horrendously loud green doesn't bother her in that instant. Vaguely, she thinks that this is embarrassing, that a shinobi shouldn't be bawling into the arms of her sensei, but he squeezes her tight and all thoughts fly away.

“Tenten. We do not choose teams randomly. You are here with us because we need you,” he begins carefully. He knows that the right words are critical in this moment. Tenten will analyze, tear apart, and assume the worst of his words if they aren't phrased perfectly. “It is true that Neji is gifted, and Lee is persistent. But you bring something to the team that they can’t.”

“Whu-” She stops to sniff. When her voice comes next, it is no longer quite as shaky. “What do I bring, sensei?”

“You bring balance. Lee declared Neji his rival, you know. Those two would wear each other down within a day if you weren't here. You bring your unwavering support, your expertise on weapons, and your realism. Neji can be too pessimistic, and Lee too optimistic. You can see both sides.” In one swift motion, Gai has her by the shoulders, resolution burning in his intense black eyes. A large, familiar smile is fixed on his features, and Tenten finally laughs, wiping her tears with her hands. 

“Do you really mean that?” Her voice is still quiet, but it is more stable now. Relief bursts through his chest. She doesn't look like she’s going to cry again, at least. With downcast eyes, she speaks again. “I don’t know, Gai sensei. It’s hard, watching them and knowing that I can’t be like that. I chose weapons and sealing scrolls because I thought maybe if I had something that was _me_ , I’d feel more special. Neji has his byakugan, Lee has his taijutsu. And I love weapons and sealing, but are they enough to keep me here?” He squeezes her shoulders until she looks at him, at the fires of absolute belief in his eyes.

“We don’t doubt your skill, so don’t doubt your own. You are not only the only long range offensive on our team, but you are the reason this team can keep going. You stop your teammates when they go too far, and push them when they are losing hope. You are an important part of this team, Tenten. Don't ever think that we don't need you, or that you are less than the rest of us. But if you would like, I will create a very youthful training regimen just for you to hone your skills and increase your strength. Would you like that?”

She nods vigorously, and Gai helps her extract the rest of her weapons and seal them away. When she leaves, she smiles brightly at him with a thumbs up that he returns with vigor. His heart clenches with joy.

To make his kids smile like that all the time, that is what he wants the most. The fact that Tenten felt that way...he doesn't like it one bit. He promises himself right then and there that he will be more attentive to his kids. They are still so little, so delicate. He will be there when they need him. He cares for them all so much already. If they can’t see that, then he must take it upon himself to express that more often. 

That night, he checks out a couple books from the library about weapons and summoning. There are a couple new blades that normally aren't used by genin, but he knows Tenten would be elated to work with. She can handle herself, he thinks. 

He decides that long distance weapons will boost her confidence, cutting down enemies before they get close enough for Neji or Lee to do anything with. Some explosives (of compressed air, he makes sure. He doesn't want the weight of taking a life on her shoulders yet, and he won’t put the kids in danger) catch his eye. Those will do nicely.

He arrives late to the morning training, but when Tenten looks up from her stretches and beams, he decides it’s worth it. She runs up to him, squeals over the shiny new blades, and carefully picks up an explosive. 

She hugs him with more force than he imagined possible from such a small thing. A mass of ‘thank you’s tumbles from her lips over and over again. His first failure as a teacher has been remedied, he thinks with an elated grin.

He will never let anyone on his team feel inferior again.

* * *

“Get down!”

Neji drops and watches with wide, strained eyes as a flurry of weapons flies past him to pin his attacker to a tree. In an instant, Lee is there with a sharp punch to the jaw to knock the woman out. The boy takes shallow breaths, squinting to avoid the painful stabbing of sunlight in his eyes.

“Neji! Are you alright?” Lee yells. Tenten is already next to him, throwing his arm over her shoulder and helping him to his feet. Shame burns in his gut at the weakness he feels in his legs as Lee takes his other side and his teammates work to move him out of danger. Gai drops next to them seconds later, evaluating his health.

“You’ve overused your byakugan, and you've lost some blood. You’ll need rest. Lee, get Neji some water, quickly.” The Hyuuga’s head is foggy, and he can barely make out the sounds of his teacher opening the door to the coach they took to this remote location to appear like civilians. When Lee pushes the bottle to his lips, he drinks feebly. Even through the haze, Neji feels embarrassment and anger for letting himself be carried. He is not supposed to rely on others. He is by far the strongest of the three. _He_ should be carrying _them_. If his uncle ever heard of this…

But his vision is growing spotty and soon he hears the cries of his teammates as he slumps forward. The last thing he registers is Gai scooping him up and giving orders before everything goes silent and he slips into blank unconsciousness.

~~~

Neji opens his eyes on his bed at the hotel they’ve been staying in. His wounds are dressed and a glass of water sits next to him. His eyes still burn with damage. He sits up and fumbles for the glass in an uncharacteristically clumsy way. 

“How are your eyes? We turned off the lights for you.” The sound of a voice in the room instantly tenses his muscles and he moves his hands into position, activating his byaku-

“Ah!” A searing pain shoots from the base of his neck up through his sensitive eyes.

“It’s just me! Do not use your byakugan. Even the wonderful powers of youth can’t overcome the strain.”

“....Gai sensei?”

“Hello, Neji.”

He blinks to clear his vision as much as he can and turns to his sensei. Memories flood back of yesterday (or has it been longer? He can’t quite tell) and, in his altered state, his cheeks begin to flush with guilt and shame.

He looks down at the bandaged palms in his lap. If only he were faster, he could've dodged the attack. He saw it coming, of course, but his body had not reacted as quickly as his mind did. Frustration mounts in his chest. Once again, he failed. He had had to resort to relying on Tenten and Lee, when they should have relied on him. He’s supposed to be the genius. He’s supposed to be stronger than that.

“Neji.” Snapping back to the present, he realizes that his palms have curled up. His nails are digging into already wounded skin. Immediately, he releases them. Gai studies his stormy, bitter expression with caution.

Neji would clam up and block out everything he said if Gai didn't go about this delicately. He couldn't imply even in the most unintentional or barest of ways that Neji was somehow weak. He couldn't bring up the boy’s clan, either. This would be a very deliberate conversation.

“What’s on your mind?” he begins. Neji looks up into his eyes with the stoic politeness that he’d been taught since birth. Still, he can't hide the upset set of his jaw from the jounin. A set of meaningful looks pass between the two until the younger finally relents with a huff.

“I was not able to hold my own. I was attacked, and I should have been able to avoid it. Instead, my already injured teammates had to assist me.” The next words curdle in his mouth. “I am a liability.”

Gai stares at him. One, two, three beats of silence. Neji begins to wonder if he agrees with him. If he will be reprimanded. He steels himself for the disappointed chastising.

Gai roars in laughter. 

“Neji, my boy!” he yells, clapping a hand on his shoulder. Neji winces, and the jounin instantly removes his hand and lowers his voice. Mirth twinkles in his eyes. “You are far from a liability! You are a proper shinobi of Konoha, the same as Lee and Tenten. Not every attack can be dodged easily. That is why genin work in three man squads! You have saved your teammates countless times. It is only natural for them to aid you in your time of need!”

Neji blinks at Gai. The words tumble through his mind. Aide? Natural?

“We ninja can’t always work alone. We are stronger together. That is why we have villages. When you have teammates that work together as well as our team does, it is a gift, and the fountain of youth overflows!” With a flashy smile, Gai launches a wink at his charge. “There is nothing weak or wrong about receiving help from your team, Neji. It's why we are here!”

And it is miniscule, but Neji nods with slow understanding. After all, it isn't as if he needs his teammates. But while they are there, it would be maximizing the potential of their situation if they helped him as much as he helped them. 

Yes. He’d graduate to Chunin eventually. He would work alone then. But as long as he had them, he might as well make use of Lee and Tenten. And maybe he would learn things from them, too. Things he couldn't learn in the Hyuuga compound. Tenten had taught him how to hone his accuracy with the senbon better than his family had, anyways. And Lee’s presence had taught him self control leagues past what he could learn with his quiet family.

“Now get plenty of rest. Tenten and Lee will only stay occupied for so long before they grow restless. We will leave tomorrow, when we are all energized and full of power!” 

“Yes, Gai sensei.” He pauses. Then, hesitantly, “Thank you.”

“Of course!”

Neji lays down again and closes his eyes. He hears the door click shut, and the poorly concealed whispers of his teammates behind the door.

“Is he alright?”

“He’ll be fine. Youth speeds recovery, after all.”

“Neji is strong! He will be back on his feet in no time! Don’t worry Tenten!”

“Shhhhh Lee! Keep it down!”

He doesn't notice the small smile that tugs at his lips as he falls asleep.

* * *

It is a drowsy, drizzly sort of day in Konoha and Lee sits perched on Gai’s brown couch with a mug of tea, looking for all the world like a contented, sleepy puppy.

“Would you like to stay here tonight?” It is a question, but Gai already has a pile of plush blankets and a pillow in his arms. Lee knows better than to refuse.

“I’d like that. Thank you, Gai sensei,” he murmurs. The pair, usually electric, have been muted by the weather. The fall has brought a very rainy season on their village, and the local tea stores have had to stock their shelves more frequently in response. The green tea that Gai found Lee likes sits steaming in a kettle between them. 

Lee finishes his cup and pads into the bathroom, carrying one of Gai’s large shirts behind him for pajamas. This is far from the first night the boy has spent here, and Gai reckons that it’s not his last. It is a new and joyous feeling, to have someone else in his apartment. A young soul, full of spirit and energy to fill the spaces of his home. It makes the jounin wonder why he didn't adopt a child.

Though Lee is, in all forms except legal and biological, his child. The two look alike, act alike, and Lee holds a sort of respect for Gai that even some of his fellow jounin don’t give him. Lee made him want to be the best role model possible and, though they might (fervently) deny it, he knows the rest of Team Gai look up to him, too.

As Lee trods out in his shirt that is many sizes too large for such a small boy, Gai’s heart clenches. He is dwarfed by the piece of cloth. He is struck once again by the idea that these are children, barely fourteen. So young, so naive, and so ready to put their lives on the line in the name of Konoha. 

‘I will not let that happen,’ he promises himself.

But for now, Lee is sitting on his couch, snuggling up in his shirt and blankets, looking so pleased and content and he knows that today, Lee is here and safe and happy. That will have to be enough.

“Gai sensei,” Lee mumbles through the blankets. His eyes are heavy with sleep, but he keeps them open. An easy smile brightens his face.

“Yes, Lee?”

“We’re a pretty good team, huh? You, me, Neji, and Tenten?”

And Gai’s heart seizes again. He would recount later, in gushing tones to a tired Kakashi, how a couple proud tears had slipped down his face as he turned away, unbeknownst to a half-asleep Lee.

“The best team in Konoha.” He means it. His team has grown so much together. They balanced each other out perfectly. Their initial discourse and squabbling had turned to daily teasing and silent looks that they could all decipher perfectly. Neji and Tenten in particular had developed a language of exasperation that they used when the greener of the four got excited.

“I didn’t have a lot of friends before. I’m happy that we can all be friends now,” Lee yawns. “Even Neji.” He begins to babble on about his new friends in ways that make Gai want to wrap Lee up in the blankets and steal him away to a remote cabin where he won’t be touched by the horrors of ninja life. He wishes they could stay like this forever, this serene bubble of happy stillness.

“Neji can be cold, but I think he’s just got a lot that he isn't ready to share yet. He’s been opening up, though. Have you noticed? You probably have. He glares at me less. I caught him smiling once. He numbed my arm when he saw me staring but it’s okay. I know he just needs time.” Another yawn, and a turn to his side. A snuggle into his pillow. “And Tenten’s so cool. She's so passionate about her weapons. Did you know she names her favorites? It’s how she keeps track of them. We went to a weapons shop together for a new set of shuriken. She got so excited. The clerk was super impressed.”

Such is the nature of Lee. The boy was always so kind, so selfless, so dedicated. He devotes his life to his shinobi way. He positively burns with desire to prove himself. But he is so gentle underneath it all. 

“I’m so happy that we’re all together.” Gai is already planning team outings. It's about time that they had some time off together. Maybe tomorrow’s training can be postponed. Then again….

Coming up on a year since the three became his genin squad, the team has improved immensely. Tenten has grown stronger and swifter, more sure of herself within her wild, but accepting team. Neji has grown to trust his teammates more, his eyes a little softer in the moments between them, surrounded by the dense forest around their training field. Lee has never given up his dreams and has instead grown more fervent in them, exponentially increasing his array of moves.

They’ve been training extra hard recently, and in more specialized areas in preparation. He knows that the chunin exams are fast approaching and he will soon have to see them off to a newer, bolder chapter of their lives. One where they would take everything he taught them, every bit of growth, and make it their own. They will become honorable shinobi Konoha would be proud of, he knows it. 

And yet, it hurts. Because some part of him doesn't want to let his kids go. He wants them to still need him and his guidance. It’s selfish, but Maito Gai has never been one to deny himself his feelings. He will let them go when the time comes, even if it is with some crying.

_How does Iruka do this?_

Lee’s hesitant voice breaks through his thoughts and he returns his watchful eye to the mass of messy black hair. A frown has replaced the placid smile.

“Gai sensei?”

“Lee?”

“......”

“It’s alright Lee, you can tell me anything.”

“We’ll always be together, right? You, me, Neji, and Tenten?”

Gai wishes he could honestly promise that. But the life of a shinobi is not without its hardships. Too often, lives are taken far too soon. Lives that had so much left for them, so many people that loved them. It’s not something he understands, but it is something he has learned to accept. He had to, to remain as strong and happy as he is now.

Lee doesn't need to hear that, though. Not now. Not when he’s just a genin and his team is the only family he’s had.

“Team Gai is forever. Don’t ever doubt it,” he smiles back. 

Lee mumbles some contented noise and almost instantly falls to sleep. 

Stroking Lee’s hair, Gai feels his own breathing even out. With a begrudging last glance at his student, he lifts himself up and trudges tiredly to his own bed.

Tucked in at last, Gai allows himself to think of the past year. They have all overcome so much together. Little by little, they confided in him. Confided in each other. He watched as they went from awkwardly standing next to one another to lively interactions. Every morning, Lee would arrive with a “Good morning! Let’s all work hard today!” and a high five to Tenten. When they joked, Lee would laugh loudly and Tenten would snort. She would fling an arm around the straight faced Neji and drag him into the conversation. He would pretend to be irritated, but lean forward to join in all the same. In a battle, they would go back to back and bark out short orders and tactics before dispersing. When one was injured, the other two quickly picked up the slack. If one was in the hospital, or sick, the other two would take off of practice one day to visit and keep them company. 

At the end of the day, though, when they grew irritated with one another, as they were bound to do, or when they felt unsure of themselves, they found themselves with Gai. He feels a rush of pride, knowing that they trust him enough to bare their worries to him. He remembers little snapshots with each of them. Whether they be silent, meaningful glances, or long conversations, his kids could communicate with him. They….liked to.

Gai smiles. 

He knows now. The chunin exams can come as they please. They won’t matter.

Because no matter what happens, no matter how much they grow up and no matter what rank they achieve, they will still be his kids. 

And his kids will always love him.

**Author's Note:**

> I know that as an individual, I can't do much. But I hope that I can at least help with what I have, which is a passion and talent for writing. This link will point you to places you can donate to various BLM organizations, with or without money: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#donate  
> For anyone and everyone hurting and angry and sad, please remember that so many of us stand with you. I love you, and please stay safe


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